Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-07-21
AMERICANS ABROAD.
A Correspondent Throws Some Light ,n
Generality Accepted Statistics.


more especially as to the volume Of it,
Is greatly misunderstood in America, !
and even by the tourists themselves, |
writes a Rome correspondent. A
Like the Dutchman's pig that moved
about with such celerity that he was
counted several times, and thus greatly
increased the aggregate Of the litter,
the American tourist is liable to several
enumerations. He tears himself away
from his business for few weeks. He
must do Europe iii n given time and be
back at his desk at the day and hour
appointed. So he keeps moving. He
is recorded once at least in every city
he visits. Sometimes he is recorded
several times in the same city-at his
hotel his bank, at an American OK
change, perhaps, and at club. This
makes four distinguished Americans
out Of q single humble individual. But
this Is not all. He takes certain city
let us say Paris-as his headquar-
ters, and makes transient visits to it
several times during the same season.
All this gives a pretty sum in addition
which the far-away journalist in
America works out with that talent for
exaggerated mathematics in which
imagination often plays so important
a part This young mans fancy
lightly turns to these elaborate prob
lens in the spring. Then it is pub
lished in the New York papers and
tclegraphed all over America, that all
outgoing, steamers are crowded; that
every berth is engaged several months
ahead, and that never before was there
such tide of travel setting toward
Europe. The estimate Of the number
of going abroad begins, perhaps, at 5O,-
900 and runs up to over 100 900 in the
more imaginative newspapers 1t
would appear to the unthinking as if
free America were being dcpopulated
in favor of the monarchics of the old
world. ~ .
1t will do no harm to let little light
into these high-pressurc statistics.
though it is really fact that greay
many Americans do go abroad annual
ly, probably five times or ten times as
many rs there would be Of any other
nation situated so far from the various
European Meccas to which the devotees
OF. travel are wont to make pilgrim
I ns.sJs. Tho season Of the great Euro
ar;asa hegira IS brief. il scarcely be-
XIV ~ before " gFo isl OF Jnne, &C.
src 'rc pressure IS s.'Ssla 5stlat 81 August There
Y hnorc or less persons always going,
but his represents the bulk of the early
season travel. Did any of these light
ming calculators ever stop to think how
many steamers It wouid take, rs travcl
goes, to carry across the Atlantic ever
$4,000 passengers. 1t would rcquir,
100 steamers, supposing every one car
ricd 800 American tourists. How many
steamers carry of this class in exces
of this number, or for how lonl
q time is this average maintained
For afew weeks only, if at all, and mos
Of them sail from New York. Amer
> cans are by no means the only pas
sengers who travel by the Atlanti
steamers. A large proportion arc En-
J glish. while there are always repre-
sentativos Of every European nation
It would hardly be necessary TO G
further than these suggestions to eS
!, plodo tho fiction, but Paris may b
/ taken as q further illustration.
) 1t goes without saying that all goo
Americans who 90 to Europe 60 t
Paris, unless the force of circumstance
is too strong for them. 1t is barrel.
possible that a thousand or two ma
be found in England or on the cont
: nent every year who are unable :
| visit the French capital. These are II
7 England on business; are Of German
$ descent, and make visit to the faith
crland; arc medical students at Berlil
!, Or elsewhere in Germany, or 60 by th
, Dutch or Belgian lines to Antwerp o
( Amsterdam to do tho low countries
n and 60 up the Rhine. They are
I, small fraction of the great whole. TIL
: 3 rest usually go direct from New Yor
q to London, where they stay
! few days before departing 70
S Paris or they choose tho Havre lin
: which, since the new steamers hav
Q been placed on 1t, is convenient an
}, expeditions / received not long az
: various estimates of the number {
!. Americans coming to Paris every yeal
taken all Of them, as the professions
statisticians say, from the most rcliabl
sources, such as Paris journalist.
II steamship agents, persons. connecte
8 with travelling agencies. and Other
! competent to give them. Tho min
mum estimate is $1,000. the maximum
: 10000 The correct figure would prol
I ably be between 10000 and $500
!. which Is not small number, and {
h few of them are ever Mt rest or renal
y long time in the same place. and
n some Of them get counted sever
= times, they convey the impression Of
!. much greater multitude. There o.
more or less Of them who como ever
season, either to pass tho winter
Paris or on tho Mediterranea
IS There is a class. and not o small on
s who are floating residents Of Europ
10 not identified with Paris. nor tho Nc
n iterranoan. nor London, but every 20
', y visiting these places, and making fro
~ ~ them the tour Of favorite localities
I. SPAN. France, Italy, Germany q
a Austria. They move hither and thith
ir like the restless ocean driven by 4
or winds They fluctuatc like tho tide
~ They are slaves Of the season only. !
I" ing necessarily more or less doninat
by heat, cold, storm and sunshin
- A..